Now you can add another to the list. The next universal truth is that you can get just as good of an education online as you can in the public schools. Not so much! Surprisingly, there are people still that do not understand this universal truth!

Recent studies have shown there is a significant gap
between the completion rates of online students compared to classroom
based students. When you consider that online learning is often promoted
as a cost effective solution for at-risk learners who don’t have the
financial resources for face-to-face instruction, it becomes clear that
the online movement is offering a product that makes it easier to drop
out to students who are already more prone to quitting in the first
place.

Education is primarily driven by motivation, and online learning
doesn’t do anything to address people’s motivational needs. In fact, the
nature of online education strips away many of the components that keep
students engaged and committed. Many of the factors that online
education advocates claim are a benefit, such as time flexibility and
the lack of classrooms, are actually a hindrance to learning. Studies
have shown that a fixed structure and the sense of belonging that comes
from a student body improve completion rates. Allowing students to
study on their own removes these components of the support system
resulting in lower rates of course completion.